Expansion head



J. M. HEWGLEY EXPANSION HEAD Jan. 9, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan, 22, 1931 9 m 3 a E W/ K 5 @Q 4 v \\\1 \/\7/fi m f/ %/A%///////////////////////// w M Z//// A /L m 1 A km WK XQ a@m/ w 5 H HH 'A TTbRYvEYs.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2' Jan. 9, 1934. J. M. HEWGLEY EXPANSION HEAD Filed Jan.22. 1931 Q QE.

.:.ll||||||||||||||l..\||.....i|||||| @w mdc m Patented 1934 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1,942,598 nxrANsroN HEAD James M. Hewgley, OklahomaCity, Okla.

Application January 22, 1931. Serial No. 510,499

11 Claims. (CL 166-15) My invention relates to heads for oil and gaswells, and more particularly to a head for confining extremely highpressure.

The objects of my invention are to provide a device of this class whichis new, novel, practical by its own pressure, thus making it possible toconvey the oil and gas to a separator at a velocity and in a volume atwhich the separator is capable of separating the oil from the gas; thewearing,

parts of which are easily replaceable; which will be strong and durable;which will be comparatively cheap in manufacture; and, which will beefiicient in accomplishing all the purposes for which it is intended.

.At the present time a pipe cross is usually installed directly over themaster gate of a well for the purpose of splitting or diverting theflowing oil and gas into three different pipes so that, if necessary,the oil and gas can be conveyed to a plurality of separators. Each ofthese pipes is provided with a gate valve, and the volume of the oil andgas which is permitted to flow to each separator is governed by thewidth at which each valve is opened. With this installation much loss isincurred because of the fact that when one of the gate valves is onlypartially opened it causes an increase in the velocity of the oil andgas, and consequently the gate valves as well as the pipes between thevalves and the separators are constantlv being cut away by the flowingoil and gas together with the sand and other extraneous particles.conveyed in the oil and gas.

In many instances the volume and pressure of a well is too great to becontrolled by the three valves upon the outlet pip'es leading from thepipe-cross, and consequently the master gate valve is only partiallyopened. This of course results in the increased velocity of the fluid atthe master gate valve cutting away the valve housing and frequentlyresults in the complete loss of the master gate valve. This loss resultsmany times in the well breaking loose and running wild, which of courseis extremely expensive, and dangerous.

Applicant's device is designed to confine a desired amount of the volumeof the fluid in the well, and to release an amount from the well thatcan be amply disposed of by the separators. It

is also designed to provide an expansion chamber at the point at whichthe fiuidis released from the well, so that the velocity of the releasedfluid will be materially cut down, and the usual cutting away of theconnections will be eliminated. It is also so arranged that the pressure'of the released fluid acts as a force for stifiing the velocity of thefluid, thus bringing it under perfect control before it is conveyed tothe separators. Applicant's device entirely eliminates the usualpipe-cross andits gate valves, commonly known to those familiar with theart, as a Christmas tree.

With these and other objects in view as will more fully appear, myinvention consists in the construction, novel features, and combinationof parts hereinafter more fully described. pointed out in the claimshereto appended, and illustrated in the accompanying two-sheet drawing,of which:

Figure. 1 is a vertical sectionalview of a device 7 embodying theprinciples of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of a slightly diiferent embodiment ofthe device; I

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of one member of. the device; and,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 2.

- Like characters of reference designate like parts in all the figures.

It is understood that various changes form, proportion, size, shape,weight and other details of construction within the scope of myinvention may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or broadprinciple of my invenin the 35 tion and without sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof; and it is also understood that the drawings are tobe interpreted as being illustrative and not restrictive.

One practical embodiment of the invention as 96 against the pressure ofa well, (not shown). A 109 better understanding of the oflice of saidplate 2 may be had by reference to a United States patent applicationfiled by me on July 7, 1930, under Serial Number 465,870, in which thereference numeral 7 indicates the said plate 2 of this application.

The expansion head, the whole of which is represented by the referencenumeral 3, is adapted to be connected to said plate 2 and master gatevalve 1 by a plurality of. bolts 4 10 'vided with a thick block of woodwhich acts as a bufler for receiving the force of any fluid releasedinto said chamber 6 through the master gate valve 1. It may be founddesirable to substitute some other material such as lead in lieu of saidblock 10. The lower surface of said block 10 is preferably provided witha central downstanding point ll and with an annular concavity 12surrounding the same. The reason for this will be more fully describedhereinbelow. Said housing 2 is provided with a lateral outlet 13 andoppositely therefrom with a man-bole open ing 14: hermetically closed bya closure 15.

As a means of stifling a portion of the fluid before it enters saidchamber 3, I provide a nipple or choke member 16, having a comparativelysmall axial bore 17. The lower end of said choke member 16 is threadedlyreceived by said plate 2. It may be seen that said member 16 is readilyreplaceable through said man-hole opening 14, and that the amount offluid released into said chamher 6 may be governed by providing saidmember 16 having a desired size of bore 1? therein.

In operation, the master gate valve 1, will be opened to its fullextent, thus eliminating the detrimental cutting force of the fluidusually had said bore 17 of said member 16, but the majority of thefluid will be held within the bore 18 of said valve 1. The force of thatportion of the fluid which is released through the bore 17 of saidmember 16 will be received by said block 10, and

due to the comparatively large size of said chamher 6. ample room willbe had for the fluid to expand without exerting its cutting action uponsaid housing '7. It will be understood that the greatest force of thefluid will be received by said point 11, which is in axial alinementwith said bore 1'7, and that when the fluid strikes said point 11, saidpoint 11 and said concavity 12 will act as a means for diverting thefluid to the walls of said housing 1 as indicated by the arrows in Fig.l. The fluid is thus forced to back up and lose most of its velocitybefore it can escape through said outlet 13. The fluid after leavingsaid block 10, will also act as a means for assisting in stifling thevelocity of the incoming fluid. It is to be understood that the fluidwill be conveyed from said outlet 14 by a pipe, not shown, to a. usualseparator.

In Figs. 2, 3 and 4, is illustrated a slightly different embodiment ofthe device, but one which well remains within the scope'of theinvention.

This embodiment is designed for use where it is desired to convey thefluid to more than one separator, and when it is desired to use thedevice upon master gate valves which were not previously provided withsaid plate 2. This embodiment is illustrated with the device installedin a horizontal position.

In this last mentioned embodiment, the upper end of said master gatevalve 1 is provided with a usual pipe T 19, the upper end of which isclosed. I To the flanged horizontal leg 20 of said T 19 is attached bybolts 21, a plate 22, and the flanged end 23, or a housing as. Saidplate 22 is similar in form and ofiice to that of said plate 2 formerlydescribed, with the exception, that said plate 22 is not provided withthe outstanding'arms which are provided upon said plate 2 for tying downsaid master gate valve I.

Said housing 24 is similar in form and ofli'ce to said housing 7, withthe exception of the location of said outlet 13 and the man-hole. Inthis embodiment the choke member 16 is threadedly received at one end bysaid plate 22. The housing 24 is provided with a pair of outlet pipes 25which extend outwardly from said housing 24.- and at an angle towardsaid cap 9. A manhole is provided through the top of said housing 24,and its closure is indicated by the reference numeral 26.

The operation of this last described embodiment is similar to thatdescribed with reference to the first described embodiment, with theexception that said pipes 25 may each lead to a separator.

.It will be obvious that more than two of said outlet pipes 25 may beprovided if desired. It, is also obvious that when it is desired toinstall the device, as embodied in Fig. 1, upon a master gate valvewhich has not previously been provided with said plate 2, that saidplate 22 lllil may be utilized.

poses other than as detailed, and I therefore consider as my own allsuch modifications and adaptations and other uses of the form of the 11cdevice herein described as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is: I

1. An expansion head, having in combination, a housing having an axialinlet in one of its ends and having its other end closed, said housingforming an expansion chamber of,considerably' greater diameter than thediameter of said inlet, said housing also having a lateral outletadjacent said inlet, and removable means within said inlet forcontrolling the ingress of a fluid.

2. Organization as described ,in claim 1, in which said controllingmeans comprises a removable nipple extending axially into said chamberto a point adjacent said outlet.

3. Organization as described in claim 1, in which said controlling meanscomprises a nipple extending axially into said chamber to a pointadjacent said outlet, said nipple having an axial bore comparativelysmall with respect to the size of said outlet.

4. An expansion head, embodying a housing having an axial inlet in oneof its ends and hav ing its other end closed, said housing for anexpansion chamber of considerably greater diameter than the diameter ofsaid inlet, said housing also having a lateral outlet adjacent saidinlet, removable means within said inlet for conno trolling the ingressof a fluid, and removable means upon the inner face of the closed end ofsaid housing for receiving the force of a fluid entering said inlet.

, 5. An expansion head, embodying a housing having an axial inlet in oneof its ends and having its other end closed, said housing form ing anexpansion chamber of considerably greater diameter than the diameter ofsaid inlet, said housing also having a lateral outlet aohaeent 15c saidinlet, removable means within said 'inlet for controlling the ingress ofa fluid, removable means upon the inner ace of the closed end of saidhousing for receiving the 'force of a fluid entering said inlet, andmeans formed upon the inner face of said force receiving means fordirecting such fluid to the wall of said housing.

6. In an expansion head for oil and gas wells, the combination with ahousing having an axial inlet in one of its ends and having its otherend closed, said housing forming an expansion chamber larger than thediameter of said inlet and having a lateral outlet, 0! removable meanswithin said inlet for controlling the ingress of a fluid.

7. In an expansion head, an expansion chamber, having an axial inlet, aremovable nipple extending into the expansion chamber, said nipplehaving an axial bore smaller than the chambers outlet and suflicientlysmall to partially choke or muflie the fluid flow into said chamber.

8. In an expansion head, an expansion chamber having an axial inlet, aremovable nipple within the inlet and extending axially into theexpansion chamber, said nipple having an axial bore smaller than thechambers outlet and sumciently small to partially choke or muiile thefluid flow into said chamber.

9. In combination with well tubing for conveying fluid from submergedstrata under high pressure, an expansion chamber in communication withthe discharge end of the tubing for choking flow therethrough, and adeflector member in the chamber positioned in line with theflow o1 fluiddischarged from the tubing for deflecting the flow in the chamber.

10. In combination with well tubing for conveying fluid from submergedstrata under high pressure, an expansion chamber, a removable nipple inthe expansion chamber in communication with the discharge end oi thetubing for choking flow therethrough, and a deflector member in thechamber positioned in line with the flow oi fluid discharged from thetubing tor deflecting the flow in the chamber.

11. The combination with a well pipe, of an upright tank mounteddirectly over the pipe, means for discharging the efliuent from'the wellpipe into the tank, and means for choking said discharge in said tank.

JAMES M. HEWGLEY.

